The Subliminal Cassette

Side A of The Subliminal Cassette opens with an introduction in Dutch by Cor Gout, then turns to Cohen talking (in English) to Gout about his mylar photography, his films ‘Invasion of Thunderbolt Pagoda’ and ‘Paradise Now’ and finally switches to Cohen reading a fine choice of his poetry, among which ‘Imagine Jean Cocteau’, ‘This Is Real Timing’, and ‘Tokyo Birdhouse’. The recordings of the phantasmagoric poems read in Cohen’s booming voice continue on side B of the cassette. Then they return briefly to Cor Gout’s interview of Cohen on the exhibition at Getal Nul, Amsterdam, where Gout and Cohen met, and end in Cohen reading mesmerising pieces with music in the background. The cassette comes with a silkscreened insert which has a poem by Cohen’s friend Angus MacLise: Singing dead-center amid the poets of his time, but maverick yet! Poems of metaphysical karate and tender lyricism. Visionary flashes at the peak, the heart strains to say it knows, it knows! Limited edition of 50 copies.